Forkliftaction.com representatives have just
finished a couple of hectic months attending trade shows
around the globe. This edition of the Forkliftaction.com News
features two reviews of shows that occurred in Belgium and
Cleveland, USA, in the last few weeks.Our photo galleries
from IMHX 2004, NA 2004 and Prologistics 2004 can be found here. Do you have any interesting photos
from your show experiences? If so, please email
them to us, as we'd love to see them.

1.
NA 2004 A GREAT SUCCESSCLEVELAND, OH, United StatesThe
Material Handling Industry of America's NA 2004 trade
show was the most successful yet, and vindicated the
organisers' decision to move it from Detroit to
Cleveland.- NA 2004 website -

2.
PROLOGISTICS: BELGIUM ON THE MOVEBRUSSELS, BelgiumPrologistics, the
triennial trade fair "for the total supply chain", held
at the Brussels Heizel from March 31 to April 2,
attracted more than 7,000 visitors, an increase from
6,000 in 2001.

3.
US FORKLIFT SALES GREW 4% IN 2003ELK GROVE, CA, United
StatesForklift sales in the USA increased 4% last
year compared to 2002, according to a proprietary market
share report by Crist Information & Research
(CIR).

TMHU, while not providing figures,
said it led the industry in sales for the second year,
but the claim for 2002 needs an asterisk.

Among
all OEMs offering a full line of Class 1 to 5 forklifts,
Toyota had the largest US unit sales and market share in
2002. However, among firms not offering a full line,
another unidentified OEM sold more total units overall
than Toyota in the US in 2002, according to
Crist.

TMHU said it had eviscerated the
distinction with its 2003 performance. The company said
it closed 2003 with record sales figures in December for
retail and factory orders, national accounts and parts
sales.

In sharing the research
findings, Crist observed that IC gas forklifts
experienced strong gains in the US last year compared to
2002. Class 5 unit sales increased 13% and Class 4 sales
grew 10%.

Sales of electric forklifts in Classes
2 and 3, however, did not achieve comparable gains last
year, Crist said. "That is a shift from 2002" when
Classes 2-3 showed more market zip.- Crist Information &
Research website -

4.
JLG, SAME IN TELEHANDLER COLLABORATIONMcCONNELLSBURG, PA, United StatesA
JLG Industries Inc unit and SAME Deutz-Fahr Group (SDFG)
plan to collaborate on compact telehandlers for the
European agricultural sector.

JLG Manufacturing
Europe BVBA, of Maasmechelen, Belgium, and SDFG, of
Treviglio, Italy, have signed a memorandum of
understanding with the intent to establish a long-term
OEM agreement.

JLG would supply the compact
telehandler line to SDFG for marketing through SDFG's
distributor network. The equipment would carry SDFG's
trademarks and use Deutz engines and JLG
technology.

"The memorandum of understanding,
which (SDFG chairman) Vittorio Carozza and I signed, is
of strategic importance for both our companies," JLG
chairman Bill Lasky said. "With the European market for
telehandlers estimated to be EUR1 billion (USD1.21
billion), the combined energies of JLG and SDFG are
expected to produce significant growth
opportunities."

Mr Carozza said the arrangement
would reinforce SDFG's competitive position in the
agricultural machinery market and offer a new
opportunity to SDFG dealers.

Under a proposed
timetable, products would be available in Europe by the
end of calendar 2004.

Private industry and government
sources will spend CDN3.54 million (USD2.70 million) on
the one-year technical demonstration. Full details were
released on April 2 after Sustainable Development
Technology Canada (SDTC) approved the project in
October.

It includes demonstrations and
pre-commercialisation of the forklifts. An initial
design of the reconfigured forklifts was scheduled for
completion by the end of March.

SDTC said
verification of the forklifts' veracity for the task is
anticipated by September 30, and the project will end by
April 2005. SDTC will monitor emissions reduction,
environmental impacts, commercialisation and market
rollout.

Over almost a
year, Toyota studied the large-capacity cushion market
and manufacturers distributing those products in the
USA.

"It quickly became evident that one
manufacturer in particular, Lowry, stood apart from the
rest in quality, durability, reliability and support,"
said Martin Boyd, product planning manager for
TMHU.

"This strategic alliance with TMHU and its
highly-respected network of dealers has given our
organisation the ultimate avenue for distributing
high-quality Lowry lift trucks to end users," said Bill
Lowry, Lowry's founder and president.

7.
HYUNDAI APPOINTS NORTHERN OHIO DEALERBEREA, OH, United StatesHyundai
Forklift USA has appointed Martin Industrial Truck (MIT)
as its exclusive dealer for northern Ohio.MIT, which
rents and maintains forklifts, has moved to larger
premises in Cleveland to accommodate the addition of the
Hyundai line.President Dan Martin said the
well-established business had been taken "to another
level" with the Hyundai deal.

8.
RSC LENDS A HAND TO VOLUNTEERSCHESAPEAKE, VA, United
StatesEquipment renter Rental Service Corporation
(RSC) has given a lift to Med-Link, a volunteer
organisation that transports medical supplies to
developing countries, by donating the use of a
forklift.

RSC store manager Ken Pennachio did not
hesitate when approached about donating use of a
forklift for the Med-Link project, even though it was
needed the next day.

The forklift, a TCM, was
used to load items ranging from hospital beds to
first-aid kits into two 40-foot containers, one bound
for Iraq and the other for Haiti.

Med-Link is a
project of the southeast Virginia-based Rotary
International District 7600. To date, Med-Link has
contributed more than USD17 million to developing
countries.

9.
FSIP ANNOUNCES PROMOTIONSFlight Systems
Industrial Products (FSIP) has announced several
promotions within its management team: FSIP
President Barry Bowman has been promoted to President of
the Brynavon Electronics Group (BEG); Jay Evans,
Quality Control Manager, was promoted to Vice President
of the BEG and President of Ramsey/AVCOM; Eric
Cowan, Director of Remanufacturing, was promoted to Vice
President of Operations for FSIP; and Steve Lloyd,
Sales & Marketing Director, was promoted to Vice
President of Sales & Marketing for FSIP.

For
more information, see www.fsip.biz or contact Steve Lloyd at
marketing@fsip.biz or (717)
254-3747.

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